Yeagers cherishing last season together

Two weeks into the football season, De Leon looked like the team everyone expected. The Bearcats were ranked No. 7 in the Associated Press Class 2A poll with wins over a pair of bigger schools.

Then, De Leon hit a roadblock.

The Bearcats lost three in a row, punctuated by a 90-62 setback at the hands of Stamford. The loss marked the end of nondistrict play as De Leon entered its bye week.

Four games later, the Bearcats are back to living up to high expectations. The team will look to continues its resurgence against an undefeated San Saba squad in a true district championship Friday night.

All by design

The losing skid before district wasn't ideal, but De Leon coach David Yeager knew making it through the five games unscathed would be a tall order. The Bearcats played three consecutive road games against playoff teams with a combined 20-7 record entering Week 11, two of which are 3A.

Still, the stretch prepared De Leon (6-3 overall, 4-0 district) to be in the position it is now. And that was all part of Yeager's plan.

"We were fine. Our kids just were resilient and they persevered," he said. "We realized the nondistrict, it was pretty tough when I set it up, and I did it for a reason, so we’d be ready for district play. We didn’t jump off bridges. We just kept our hands to the plow, kept pounding rocks and working hard. Our kids believed in what we were doing.

"We had some adversity there with some injuries. And that caused a lot of our young kids that were either backups on varsity or on JV at the time to step in and play some good opponents in our nondistrict schedule. Starting Week 6, everybody was 0-0 in district. We said we would trade a loss in September for a win in November."

The opponents that topped the Bearcats — Dublin, Comanche and Stamford — also gave the team some looks that it saw once district play began.

"It’s definitely not fun to go out there and face a better opponent and kind of take a kick in the teeth every week," offensive coordinator Kody Yeager said. "But it was good for us. It paid off in the long run. We beat a really good Crawford team because we played the Dublins and we played the Comanches. We've beat some really good spread passing teams because we've faced a team like Stamford.

"That was the point of the nondistrict schedule that we put in place: just to get us better for the season that counts, and that’s whenever district starts. And then the next round is playoffs. I think cutting your teeth in those tough nondistrict games is paying off for us right now."

A much-needed bye

To say De Leon welcomed its bye week would be a grand understatement. In addition to the losing streak, the team was dealing with a slew of injuries — some of which are still keeping players out.

"I’m not sure if it was a turning point, but it was very needed," David Yeager said. "We couldn’t wait for it to get here, just to kind of catch our breath and get rested up, get healed up. We tried like heck to win all those five nondistrict games, we always try, but it didn’t happen.

"You can always learn more from a loss than you can a win. That three-game skid we learned a lot about ourselves, about our team, and just used it as a chance to get better."

Despite the situation, Bearcats quarterback Kevin Yeager said the team stayed positive.

"I don’t think there was any down emotion, really," the senior said. "We had kids stepping up and making plays, so that was the bright side we could look at: knowing that we had young kids stepping up and doing their job. And then knowing that we fought with some really tough teams. We did some good things on offense and defense, so we knew once we got a majority of the team back that we'd be clicking like we want to."

Dawson Matthews, a sophomore, was one of those players called upon to fill in. The receiver made an immediate impact and has continued to excel, totaling 14 catches for 469 yards and seven TDs since being called up in the second game of the year.

"I couldn’t be more proud of that group of sophomores that have stepped up and made plays," Kody Yeager said. "We had an injury happen, (Matthews) filled in and had a huge 80-yard touchdown and over 100 yards in his first game off of JV. And hes been in that spot ever since. And he just continues to produce week after week. He's definitely been a boost for this offense, and I'm proud of him for stepping up and making plays when his number's called.”

The offense has also benefited from the return of senior receiver Chris Cox. After missing time with an injury, he has come back to total 39 catches, 689 yards and eight scores to go with 191 rushing yards and two more TDs.

"Having 17 (Cox) back, I feel like if I just give it to him he can beat a team by himself," Kevin Yeager said. "Having him back through district, he’s really made the difference... Really, 17’s the only one that I got back. That just gave our younger guys a better chance to make some plays themselves and they really showed it."

An impactful loss

The early struggles culminated in De Leon's beatdown at the hands of Stamford. The Bulldogs and quarterback Peyton Bevel were met with little resistance, passing for a state-record 789 yards and 12 TDs.

Understandably, the loss left a sour taste in the team's mouth.

"We definitely learned from it, especially going into an open week, knowing the things that we had to get better at," Kevin Yeager said. "Secondary wise, coverage, we really struggled knowing that we had to be one-on-one with really good athletes. But we learned from it. Our defense has learned from it. We fixed the mistakes, and I think if we ever do meet up with them again it’ll be a different ballgame. But, really, we just took it as a learning experience.”

"We just had to prepare and get better, because we didn’t want to get embarrassed like that again. It's just not fun," senior linebacker Tony Evans said. "So, we went and worked on the bye week for Hico and knew it was a new season after that. Everybody's 0-0."

Since then, the Bearcats have given up an average of just 14 points per game and haven't allowed more than 21 in a contest. Bray Tovar's move from defensive line to inside linebacker at the start of district play has made a big impact as well.

Evans added that the defense is playing with more unity in recent weeks. He said the team will be prepared for San Saba after a strong week of preparation.

"Just like every other week, we come out here and work hard every day and prepare just like it's another game," Evans said. "It’s one of our best weeks of practice we've had all year, just knowing that this could be what determines our road to success down the line."

Tough group of 'Dillos

San Saba's 9-0 record has caught a lot of the state off guard. But not De Leon's coach.

"I am not (surprised)," David Yeager said. "They’ve played a really tough nondistrict schedule, then they’ve had a pretty easy time in our district. Coach (Jerod) Fikac and his staff have done a good job down there getting the culture turned around and changed. We’ve known they’ve had talent coming for the last three or four years. They’re putting it all together."

And that's no lie. The Armadillos have breezed through the season, outscoring opponents 467-65. The defense gives up 7.2 points a game and has not allowed more than 14 in a single contest.

"When you watch them on tape, we don’t see any weakness," David Yeager said. "Offense, defense, they’re big, strong, fast, explosive, can score at any time. We’ve got our work cut out for us. They’re 9-0 for a reason. They’ve got the strength in the trenches. They’ve got the speed at the skill positions. It's going to be a challenge for us."

Buy Photo

The De Leon offensive line readies for the snap during practice Nov. 7, 2018.(Photo: Stephen Garcia/Reporter-News)

Junior quarterback Sean O'Keefe captains San Saba's ship. A true dual-threat, he is 80 of 132 passing for 1,496 TDs and three interceptions and has 759 yards and eight scores on the ground.

"Last year we felt like he could run a little bit better than he could throw. And this year, he’s really worked on his passing game, obviously, and he’s throwing the ball well," David Yeager said. "He’s got big receivers that can run. And he can pull it down and run as well. He runs like a deer. He’s just very fast and smooth when he runs. He’s an exceptional athlete that has improved his passing game. It makes it tougher to defend, no doubt."

Eli Salinas complements O'Keefe at running back. Salinas, a junior, has run for 1,021 yards and 17 TDs.

A week before the real thing starts, Friday's game should have a playoff feel.

"I'm expecting a really fun atmosphere, a really fun game," Kevin Yeager said. "I feel like they are undefeated but they haven't played the schedule like we have. I feel like we're pretty much matched up evenly.

"They have athletes that they can give it to in space, and we have athletes as well. I feel like it's going to be a pretty long game, spread team against spread team, but I feel like the atmosphere and the energy is going to be wild."

All in the family

The marquee matchup will not only decide the District 7-2A Division I champion, but it will also close the last regular season for the Yeagers together.

Kody and Kevin are David Yeager's sons. Yeager coached Kody — who is in his first season as offensive coordinator — during a successful run at Brackettville, reaching the state quarterfinals in 2004.

This will be the final season in such a situation, as Kevin is the youngest of his siblings.

"It’s been special. It’s been a year that I’ll never forget and never have this opportunity again," David Yeager said. "To have Kody calling the plays on offense, he’s done a phenomenal job. He’s a brilliant football mind, and he works extremely hard at his craft. He’s always trying to improve and get better. He’s done a good job because we’ve had a plethora of injuries, and he seems to make the adjustments as needed and to keep improving.

"And then to have Kevin at quarterback, at the trigger spot. Kevin’s worked hard to have a good senior year. I think Kody’s worked hard to make sure the team’s been productive, as well as Kevin."

Yeager has embraced the time spent with his sons on the football field.

"As a dad, sometimes I step back and just have to be a dad and just soak it in and be proud of it," he said. "Then I have to balance it to be a coach as well. Kody was a student of the game growing up playing and Kevin's a student of the game. That makes my job really easy. I just kind of sit back and admire both of them. They do a great job of doing what they do well."

Buy Photo

De Leon coach David Yeager addresses the team after practice Nov. 7, 2018.(Photo: Stephen Garcia/Reporter-News)

Kody Yeager said the two act like brothers, too. But ultimately, it's still a coach-player relationship.

"There's definitely some back and forth between us," Kody Yeager said. "I'll rip him and coach him and he'll have something to come back, but he always says 'Yes, sir' when it's over.

"It’s awesome. And I'm really cherishing every moment I have, whether it's practice, game day, weekends, film room. I'm just trying to soak it in, because I know after this year, he’ll go on and do bigger, exciting things with a new team. But I'm just trying to soak it up and enjoy it right now.”

And try as they may, the football talk usually doesn't end after practice.

"We know how to cut it off once we leave the football field, but there's never a conversation that doesn’t pop up at the dinner table or watching TV of the game that we’re fixing to play or the film that we’ve watched. You could say football’s always on our mind."

All three are motivated to make this unique situation stretch as long as it can. And that path starts Friday on San Saba's home field.

"Having these two guys next to me through it all, believe it or not, it motivates me even more," Kevin Yeager said. "I'm trying to be successful with these two as our last year and soak in every moment.

"It’s a blessing. I don’t think I could see my high school career in football as any other way. I don’t know how other kids do it that don’t have these two, a sibling and father on the sideline with them. I take in any advantage with them I can...It's definitely been a blessing.”